‌A Floating Ball Valve is a specialized type of valve where the ball is unsupported by an axis, relying solely on two seats for support. The valve stem is connected to the ball for movement, allowing the ball to be in a "floating" state. Under the pressure of the medium, the ball can produce a certain displacement and press tightly against the sealing surface at the outlet end, ensuring the sealing integrity of the outlet.‌

Working Principle

The working principle of the floating ball valve is as follows: When the handle (or other actuator) drives the valve stem to rotate, the ball can rotate freely between the two valve seats. When the ball's through hole aligns with the valve body's passage hole, the ball valve is in the open position, allowing fluid to flow; when the ball rotates 90°, the ball's through hole is perpendicular to the valve body's passage hole, the ball valve is closed, and the ball is pushed towards the valve outlet seat by the fluid pressure, achieving valve sealing.

Structural Features

The floating ball valve features the following structural characteristics:

Unique valve seat sealing structure: Utilizes dual-line sealed valve seats to ensure reliable valve sealing.

Professional valve seat machining: Low friction coefficient of the valve seat, resulting in minimal torque required for valve operation.

Handle Valve Rod: The rod head features a flat square structure, ensuring the handle aligns with the flow hole direction of the ball.

Locking Device: Prevents valve operation from being misactuated.

Valve Stem Retaining Structure: Prevents the valve stem from being ejected under high pressure.

Static Dissipative Design: Prevents static sparks from causing accidents.

‌Flange without external leakage structure: Prevents leakage._

Fire-resistant structure: Protects the valve from damage during a fire.

Application Scenarios and Advantages/Disadvantages

Floating flanged ball valves are widely used in general working media such as water, solvents, acids, natural gas, as well as in harsh conditions for media like oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, methane, and ethylene. They are also suitable for industries such as chemicals, petrochemicals, natural gas, metallurgy, and for long-distance natural gas pipelines with high sulfur content, heavy impurities, and severe corrosion.

Advantages include:

Simple structure: easy to manufacture and maintain.

Good sealing: Low fluid resistance, quick opening and closing.

‌Multiple Additional Structures: Such as locking devices, anti-static devices, etc., enhancing safety and reliability._

Disadvantages include:

‌High friction: prone to wear and leakage.‌

Limited by high temperature and high pressure environments: sealing surface material restricts its use in such conditions.